Paper fastener



Jan. 24, 1933. P. o. UNGER 1,895,182

PAPER FASTENER Filed Sept. 24, 1932 IN VEN TOR.

PAUL O. U/VGEQ BY x/ ATTORNEY.

Patented Jan. 24, 1933 UNITED STATES.

PATENT OFFICEY' PAUL O. UNGEB, OF GLEN ELLY'N, ILLINOIS, ASSIGNOR 'I'O WILSON-JONES COMPANY, OF

CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, A CORPORATION OF MASSACHUSETTS rarer. FASTENER Application filed September 24, 1932. Serial No. 834,757.

This invention relates to a paper fastener of the type having prongs adapted to be inserted through the papers to be secured together and then bent over the top of the papers to hold them securely.

No. 1,106,479 issued August 11, 1914 to George A. Street, may be used.

The fastener is particularly adapted for use with a report cover consistlng of a single sheet of paper folded to form two sides. a

. back, and an inwardly extending flange between each side and the back of the cover. In this case the fastener is positioned under the lowermost flange and its prongs are inserted through the flange. The papers are then impaled on the prongs and then the prongs are inserted through the top flange and are bent over to prevent subsequent separation of the flanges and enclosed papers.

The use of such report covers has heretofore been limited because of the impossibility of adapting the prior art fasteners to any desired prong spacing or capacity.

It is an object of this invention to provide a paper fastener that may be readily adjusted to fit a plurality of standard punchings. It is a further object of this invention to provide a fastener in which prongs of any desired capacity may be interchangeably used. It is a further object of this invention to provide a simple and efficient paper fastener that is inexpensive to manufacture. Other objects of this invention will become apparent upon reading the following description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawing in which: a

Figure 1 is a perspective view of my new and improved paper fastener;

Figure 2 is a fragmentary detail in perspective illustrating the method of assembling the base of the fastener and 9. prong member;

Figure 3 is a cross section taken on the I line IIIIII of Figure 1.

Figure 4 is a perspective view of a preferred form of prong member; and

Figure 5 is a perspective view of a modified form of prong member.

In the drawing the reference numeral 1 indicates a thin base strip which may be formed of any suitable metal such as tin or brass. If desired, the base strip may be formed of vulcanized fiber, pressboard, celluloid or any tough fabric instead of metal. stripis provided with a pair of longitudie nally extending corrugations 2 which act as reinforcing ribs. These corrugations are spaced near the edges of the base stripso as to leave the surface of a major portion of the base strip smooth, as indicated at 3.

A plurality of loops 4 are struck from the central portion of the base strip 1. These The base loops have open'ends 5 and closed sides 6.

The loops 4 are spaced at predetermined dis-. tances to conform to the center spacings on all standard office punches.

The preferred form of prong, indicated at 7, Figure 4, has a base portion 8 wider than its body portion and provided with a pair of shoulders 9. The other end of the prong member is curved slightly, as indicated at 10 to facilitate insertion of the prong member I through the open ends of the loop 4; The slight curvature of the entering end of the prong member causes it\to ride over the top of the adjacent loop as illustrated in Figure 2. lVhen the prong member is inserted through the open ends 5 of-the loop until the shoulders 9 abut against the sides 6 and the prong member is bent up as shown in Figure l, the prong member is securely heldin position by its engagement with the base strip 2 and loop 4. i

The prong 11, illustrated in Figure 5, has its entering end 12 curved slightly and differs from. the prong 7 only in the means for securing the prong to the base strip. The prong ll is provided with a projection 13 'adaptdg to abut against the top wall of the loop 4whenathe prong 11 is inserted through the loop 4 to' retain the prong in position. It is obvious that any suitable projection, or

even a simple corrugation might be substituted for the projection 13. Since the prongs are not struck out of thebase strip they may be formed of any-desirable length without any danger of weakening the base strip. Besaid loop, whereby said prong member is held cause of the necessity of withstanding repeatin position by three separate points of coned bending, the prongs are preferably made tact WIth sa1d loop. of metal, even though the base member may In testlmony whereof I have hereunto subbe formed of dissimilar material. lf my name- 9 At the present time standard punches are PAUL O. UNGER. spaced on centers of 2% inches, 4% inches, 1 5 inches, 6 inches, 7 inches, and 8% inches. The one half inch difference between 5 and 10 6 inch centers is so small that separate loops -7 to allow these two centers to be used is impossible. Accordingly, I have made the loops 4 one fourth of an inch in length, so that when two prongs are inserted throughthe respective loops in one direction they are p spaced 5 inches apart, and when inserted through the sameloops in the opposite direction are spaced apart 6, inches.

It will be seen that I have provided a paper fastener in which a plurality of separately 85 formed pron of any desired length may be interchangea ly used to receive papers punched in accordance with an standard punching. My invention also ma es possible I the use'of a base strip of vulcanized fiber,

celluloid, fabric, or of relatively cheap metal with prong members of a more durable metal, such as brass or copper. My paper'fastener has the further advantage that it is unneces sary to replace the entire fastener when one 95 pronv member breaks.

Wliile I have described a preferred embodiment of my invention in detail, it will be understood that the description thereof is illustrative rather than restrictive, as many details may be modified or changed without departing from the spirit or scope of my invention. Accordingly, I do not desire to be restricted to the exact construction described 40 except as limited by the appended claims. 9

I claim: 1. In a paper fastener, a base strip and a plurality of bendable prong members, said ase strip having means to retain each of said prong members in a plurality of predeter mined positions on said strip.

2. In a paper fastener, a base strip, a separable prong member, and an open-ended loop on sa1d base strip adapted to receive said i prong member, said prong member having one end curved to facilitate the positionin of said prong member with respect to sai open-ended loop. 3. In a paper fastener. a base strip pio- 55 vided with an open-ended loop, and a sepfarable prong member adapted to be inserted through said loop, the end of said prong memher being Wider than said loop. 4. In a paper fastener, a base strip ro-' vided with an open-ended loop, a separable prong member adapted to be inserted through said loop and to be bent upwardly adjacent one end of said loop, and means on said prong member adapted to engage the 65 sidewalls of said loop at the other end of i 

